Issues in global development
For a long time, Ivory Coast has been a stable and prosperous country compared to its neighboring countries. In fact, the country has been enjoying a collegial ethnic, religious, and political harmony. All this good social living, peace, and harmony changed in 1999 when the Army General – Robert Guie – found it better to organize a military coup that led to an overthrow of Henri Konan’s government. The impact was deeply causing serious national divisions. The Muslims from the northern side expressed a strong discontent in a mutiny, consequently emerging into a full-scale rebellion. This was in September 2002. The conflict seemed to have ended by then, though experienced at the background, the French brokered Linas Marcoussis peace negations in January 2003. Hope and insecurity reduced with the sharing of power between the northern-based rebels who seemed deviant, and the southern government leadership.
In just a few years later, both sides attempted to return to violence. The government supporters accused and condemned the French of helping the rebels to overthrow the sitting president-Laurent Gbagbo. As a result, the rebel new group and able forces pulled their way out of the reconciliation government. They accused the president of sabotaging and pulling back the implementation of peace and reconciliation agreements. Efforts to create peace and mutual understanding by UN failed to achieve the disarmament. This brought more clashes. The Security Council had to impose a ban and several sanctions. This was due to Gbagbo accusing the French of supporting the rebels to secure their economic wealth and interest.
The call for other African leaders such as Thabo Mbeki to help create peace was ideal. However, the rebels delayed and refused disarmament since President Gbagbo had not yet complied with a deal planned to change a restrictive nationality laws. This law was to allow the rebels leaders to participate in the planned elections. Consequently, more conflict meant that more people had to seek refuge in the nearby environments and countries. The situation was worse.
With these unresolved issues, the 2010 general election in Ivory Coast was a total mess. Both President Laurent Gbagbo and the opposition candidate -Allasaune Qattara claimed to have victory. The international observers strongly agreed that Allasaune Ouattara had won, but Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat. All negotiations failed. The world’s attention and concern was elsewhere. This made the situation become more volatile as the conflict turned into second serious civil war. As a result, millions of people crossed to Liberia and thousands of people died in the process.
As it happened, the international community was seemingly silent as compared to how they dealt with a similar situation in Libya. These political behaviors and issues are thorny for this country.
General recommendation and policy decisions to help Ivory Coast
For this displacement of people and the extra-judicial killings to end in Ivory Coast, there is need to establish a clear long-term resolution (Olson & Pearson, 2010). It is inevitable for the government to assess the role and effect of natural resources available. These resources including diamonds, oil, cocoa, and cotton act as conflict fuelling factors.
It is evident and clear that the illegal trade of diamond provides good revenue to the rebel group. There should be a continuous consultation in the country to create a clear structure of legalizing the trade and eradicate the volume of illicit diamond exports.
It will also be wise for all political leaders to understand the impact of human rights violation. Besides, the government should strictly adhere to reports by Secretary General – Ban Ki-moon as he states that Ivory Coast should continuously implement the Ouagadougou peace agreement signed in 2007.
The Amnesty International policy report should not be put in isolation. The report focuses on the human right violation perpetuating conflicts and violence together with extrajudicial killings during and after elections. Other issues of land and ethnicity should be handled with care. Moreover, religious, justice and reconciliation should be embraced by all.
References
Olson, M., & Pearson, F. S. (2010). Civil war characteristics, mediators, and resolution. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 19(4), 421-445. doi:10.1002/crq.3890190404
